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View Full Version : Self-medicating - 5htp, L'theanine etc discussion for anxiety relief



Cd993
25-10-17, 14:24
Hi all, this is my first post here in this forum and anywhere to be honest, so here's a little about me and my situation as a little introduction (I'll keep this brief though as I want the main focus on this to discuss supplements to help with anxiety).

I've generally led a happy life, though after a chaotic ex-relationship and other things that happened over the last few years, I just don't seem to be the same on the inside. I have reasons to get down but do my best to think positively. Of recent though, it's become too much and looked into ways to deal with this anxiety.

It's like my body is, for the majority of time, stuck in fight or flight mode. Like it's on standby ready to deal with something. My girlfriend comments that she can see and feel my heart beating through my chest. MY lips would go dry and it's like I'm on edge. It's certainly triggered by negative thoughts, but there are times that I'll just feel on edge for no particular reason. I suppose some could say such negativity lays dormant in my sub-conscious. But however this is caused, I'm left with this effect. Whether its big things, like a job interview or my mind racing over negative things that have happened in my life, or its small things like simply just needing to be somewhere, my body just switches on this switch and I feel so anxious - even times without any negative train of thought to join it. I exercise with weights and do cardio which I do feel help release tension, I eat healthily, have a loving girlfriend, though I do have things to worry about within friendships, family etc. Psychologically, these are the aspects that I feel contribute to my anxieties and I am actively working on those the best I can.

But moving on, I looked into options for dealing with anxiety/depression and came across the following supplements:

- 5htp
- L'Theanine
- L'Tyrosine
- GABA

I've been taking them of recent however seem to have side effects. For example, with 5htp (tried 200mg and recently switched to 100mg before bed) would give me the vivid dreams (not my intention of course!) but I would wake up feeling tired and a bit 'brain foggy'. I read that L'tyrosine works well with it and can work in conjunction with it, so I have been taking them both at night time with L'theanine in the morning. But overall, i still get the anxiety and anxious feelings. I am at the early stages on taking these, and I also am awaiting blood tests from the doctor after seeking help from them regarding this, so potentially they'll offer a prescription of something but I'm hesitant about taking something like that - at least for now.

I do suffer with IBS and bloating, despite me eating healthily (with of course treats too) but even after strict paelo dieting I'd still bloat. Which led me to believe that my anxiety is having an impact on my digestive system.

So I guess I wanted to reach out to those going though anxiety who are taking supplements such as these, to see how best they could be used - like what's best taken together, with something else, time of day etc.

I hope to hear back from someone and provide any information possible.

Thank you

Juggar
26-10-17, 07:04
I feel just like you, let us know how it goes. I’d also like to stay away from prescription drugs.

I think I took some GABA to help sleep awhile back and I didn’t really notice any difference, melatonin of course works the best for that. Then again I took it at night.

Cd993
26-10-17, 09:19
I feel just like you, let us know how it goes. I’d also like to stay away from prescription drugs.

I think I took some GABA to help sleep awhile back and I didn’t really notice any difference, melatonin of course works the best for that. Then again I took it at night.Thanks for taking the time to respond.

Last night I didn't take anything but this morning I woke up early (unrelated to not taking anything, our cats like to scratch at our door at times...!) But once settling back to bed a few thoughts crept in and I could feel my anxiety levels kick in.

Just wish there was a way to be able to allow (?) the thoughts to come in but not have horrible feeling that comes with them. As I do my best to take control of the thoughts but the lingering anxiety feeling just sticks around.

I've just had a coffee and an L'theanine, as these as supposed to work well together, though to be fair I could quite easily switch to decaf, which I drink mostly, as it's not the caffeine kick I drink coffee for.

Hopefully some readers can share how they are trying to combat they're anxious feelings too.

I'm definitely making a conscious effort to mentally stay in control. Just at this period in time it's like as soon as a thought would pop into my head, the accompanying anxiety kicks in....

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

Bittersweet05
31-10-17, 10:53
---------- Post added at 06:53 ---------- Previous post was at 06:52 ----------

[/COLOR]I truly know how you feel. I started 5 years ago with anxiety after my father passed. I was on meds for 3 months and didnt like the way i felt. So i decided to try herbal supplements. I just recently found on thatni have l been taking for a month now. It called NutriSuppz Anxiety formula. It 900 mgs. It has gaba LTheanine 5htp ashwagandhs magnesium st johns wart and others. You take 2 in am. Really works. I too wake up and feel jittery. I do take extra magnesium during thr day and 100 mgs of 5htp before bed. No vivid dreams. After a few months the dreams went away. I am determined to live my life and be happy. I have to learn to stop looking for something to dwelling. Im going to beat this nasty thing called anxiety.

Cd993
31-10-17, 13:49
---------- Post added at 06:53 ---------- Previous post was at 06:52 ----------

[/COLOR]I truly know how you feel. I started 5 years ago with anxiety after my father passed. I was on meds for 3 months and didnt like the way i felt. So i decided to try herbal supplements. I just recently found on thatni have l been taking for a month now. It called NutriSuppz Anxiety formula. It 900 mgs. It has gaba LTheanine 5htp ashwagandhs magnesium st johns wart and others. You take 2 in am. Really works. I too wake up and feel jittery. I do take extra magnesium during thr day and 100 mgs of 5htp before bed. No vivid dreams. After a few months the dreams went away. I am determined to live my life and be happy. I have to learn to stop looking for something to dwelling. Im going to beat this nasty thing called anxiety.

Hi there.

It's not too much to ask is it but seems our brains/minds/bodies are just wired up a certain way at the moment - here's hoping that we can get some relief!

Just looked in the NutriSuppz Anxiety formula, though I don't think I can get that here in the UK. I have most of the ingredients so perhaps could try make my own cocktail, with the right amount of each.

Well after my visit to the doctors they prescribed me with Propranolol which does reduce my heart rate, but isn't making me feel calm I'd say, still got that tight sensation in my chest, dry lips et.

I am so tempted just to scrap all medicines/supplements for a solid week or 2 and re-analyse my mind/body state, as I must say the slight grogginess/mind fog is almost as bad as the anxious feelings itself :( I read that smaller doses may work better, so I may look into making my own small 50mg 5htp capsules along with L'Tyrosine. But so many conflicting reviews on the best forms to take just gotta try find the best amount for me I guess